Hallam lecturer thinks toilets signs should be replaced so transgender people aren’t offended

A new study, by Dr. Jenny Slater from Sheffield Hallam University, has suggested that gender specific ‘ladies’ and ‘gents’ toilet signs should be replaced to avoid discrimination against transgender users.

The £50,000 study, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, found a lack of accessible toilet provision for disabled and transgender people and supports the renaming of toilets into ‘toilets with urinals’ and ‘toilets without urinals’.

‘Larger toilets with grab bars’ was an option suggested for disabled users, according to the report in the Sun.

Discussing the study, Dr Slater said: “Toilets may seem a frivolous subject but they are at the heart of important discussions about how we understand our own identities.

“The starting point for us is to explore how disabled people and those identifying as trans, gender-queer or non-binary are treated in modern society.”

Speaking last December, she added: “Now we’re using the findings to help start a conversation with architects about how toilets are integrated into public spaces in the future.”

The report also recommended including a sink in some cubicles for Muslim women to wash before prayer.

A spokesman for the Arts and Humanities Research Council added that the research tackled ‘the concerns and everyday experiences of diverse communities and has the potential to improve their quality of life.

Sheffield University has Gender Neutral Toilet’s (GNT’s) installed on level 2 of the SU and on Level 0 of the Diamond.